About Beverley Taylor Sorenson

Beverley Taylor Sorenson, who passed away May 27, 2013, developed a rich legacy of love and support
for arts education in Utah. She was instrumental in reinvigorating elementary arts
education at institutions of higher education that prepare classroom teachers and
teaching artists to teach the arts. Her work with area schools helped develop a renewed
effort to ensure Utah children have a complete education that includes sequential
K-6 arts education.

Beverley Taylor Sorenson always held the child first and foremost in her drive to
bring dance, music, drama and visual arts into the classroom. Through her persistence,
she persuaded the Utah State Legislature in 2008 to fund a $16 million, four-year
initiative to hire fifty arts specialists to work side by side with teachers in the
elementary classrooms. Beverley has said,"Together we have faced many obstacles and
seen many triumphs. Through it all one thing has continued to inspire us: doing what
is right for our children."

Beverley's passion for the arts began with music as a child. She recalled, "We had
a piano, in our home and mom saw to it that we all practiced." Her older sisters,
Helen and Virginia, were very talented and taught Beverley to play. While living in
New York City as a young lady, Beverley took piano lessons from a concert pianist.
In December 1945, while in New York City, she met the love of her life, James LeVoy
Sorenson. Three dates later, he asked Beverley to marry him. They both loved young
people, and together they found incredible joy in their eight children, grandchildren,
and great grand children. In January 2008, James Sorenson passed away, having left
a legacy of philanthropic public service.

Beverley Sorenson, a model of strength and energy, was more devoted than ever to bring
arts education into every school in Utah. In Philadelphia, July 2008, the nation's
governors honored Beverley Taylor Sorenson as one of eight people recognized nationally
for their public service. At the ceremony, Governor Jon Huntsman called the Sorensons,
"perhaps the most generous family in our state." Beverley Sorenson believed that a
strong arts program will bring up test scores and foster a love of learning that will
benefit Utah as a whole. Beverley spoke of her passion for arts education when she
said, "Recently I was asked what motivated me to put forth so much effort and money
into developing arts education in Utah's elementary schools. My answer was 'because
of my love for little children.'"

Students in both the Caine College of the Arts and the Emma Eccles Jones College of
Education and Human Services benefit from the generous support Beverley Taylor Sorenson
provided for arts education at Utah State University.

BTSALP arts specialists collaborate with classroom teachers to provide arts instruction
that connects with other core areas of curricula such as language arts, math, social
studies or science. This approach to teaching engages students in a creative process
in which they express their learning through an art form: visual art, music, drama
or dance.